¡Hola! Sitges
South of Barcelona, Sitges boast 17 glorious beaches, an international film festival, and a lively LGBT-scene with a charming old town.
After spending a few days with our friends in Barcelona, we were off to our next Catalan destination. It was a toss-up between the medieval city of Girona, Roman town of Tarragona, or the seaside town of Sitges. It would be nice to chill, relax and soak up some autumnal sun before the dark winter months. Only 26 miles south of Barcelona and 35 minutes on the train, it was a no-brainer for us. Sitges was the winner by a million miles.
Relaxed yet Lively Vibe
Admittedly I have never heard of Sitges until recently from friends. Some call Sitges the “Cannes of Catalonia,” thanks to its seaside promenade and annual film festival. It is like a smaller Cannes but without the glam and glitz. Personally, I prefer the chilled vibe of Sitges. It does not have major chains, designer shops, large-scale resorts, or mass tourism. With the exception of the two Melia hotels, most accommodations are small, independent hotels or converted villas.
We stayed at the Mediterráneo Sitges, a 4-star serviced apartment hotel in a 2BR flat for more space. The location was great! It is right across the street from Platja de Riberia with an awesome sea-facing playground and a short 5-minute walk to Old Town. Sitges is lively yet relaxed with a bohemian charm.
17 Glorious Sandy Beaches and Seaside Promenade
There are 17 sandy beaches to pick from in Sitges from family-friendly to LGBT-friendly, nudists, and natural beaches. Every morning I went for a run along the seafront promenade from Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla de Sitges to Platja de les Anquines, soaking up the beautiful coastal scenery and amazing weather.
We spent every day at the beach, rotating between Platja de Sitges, Platja de la Ribera and Platja de la Fragata. These three beaches are the closest to Sitges Old Town and all very family-friendly. Unlike other locations on the Mediterranean, Sitges has waves big enough to go surfing. Being late autumn, the Mediterranean Sea was still warm enough to swim without a wetsuit and frolic in the ocean!
Old Town Sitges
By night, we explored Sitges Old town which is filled with restaurants in hidden alleyways and cute boutique shops. There are numerous restaurants from traditional Spanish tapas bars to modern Spanish and a few international restaurants. We ate at Izarra Taberna and Eguzki Lizaran for traditional tapas, and El Cable, which was my favourite restaurant. Over at the Marina de Sitges, a scenic 20 minute walk from Sitges Old Town, we had a lovely meal at La Taberna del Puerto for a seafood paella.
As we spent every day at the beach, we ordered take away to eat at the flat for lunch. Pans & Company is great for Spanish-style bocadillo sandwiches whilst El Superpollo does excellent rotisserie chicken, both are good options for a quick and easy lunch. Carrefour and Bonpreu, two well-stocked mini markets if you want to pick up some jamon and queso. Otherwise, Mercat Sitges is a larger supermarket located near the main train station. We also had a lovely lunch at Cafeteria Montroig, a spacious and open-aired restaurant serving everything from breakfast, sandwiches, and healthy smoothies.
Adios Sitges, Adios España
It was a glorious week in Catalonia, spending quality time with my little family and recharging the batteries ahead of a busy holiday season. With a belly full of jamón and Rioja and sand still in my hair, we flew back to London happy as a clam and grateful for the beautiful memories here in this beautiful country.
Gracias y adios España! Until next time!
